Essential Horror Movie Novelization’s (if you can find them)

With the news announced yesterday that the new Halloween sequel will be getting a novelization, released on 23rd October, we explore some rare adaptations of classics.

Black Christmas

In 1976 a version of Bob Clark’s classic Christmas chiller was released by Lee Hays. Ultra rare, the story is said to delve into some of the characters backstories a bit more.

Halloween

Another rare gem is the 1979 adaptation by Dennis Etchison (working under a pseudo name) of the original Halloween. The story is said to delve into Michael’s past in more detail and give him more connections to the season of Halloween and also hint at black magic and the occult.

The Fog

A year later Etchison would again adapt a Carpenter property in the shape of The Fog.

This version is considered one of Etchison’s better works. He would later go on to write a treatment for Halloween 4, which Carpenter was set to direct before a fall out with Moustapha Akkad and him and Debra Hill selling their shares in the franchise.

Friday the 13th + Parts 2,3 and 6

Writer Simon Hawke did things very differently when writing novelizations of the Friday the 13th franchise. Initially commissioned to do an adaptation of Jason Lives (which introduced Elias Voorhees) in 1986, he then the following year adapted the first three films of the series.

Jaws 2 + Jaws: The Revenge

Of the adaptations we’ve discussed none are arguably as diverse as Hank Searls’ versions of two of the sequels to Jaws.

Jaws 2 had a gangster sub plot in Amity with a killer shark only proving a great villain than the mob.

Jaws: The Revenge went in a completely different direction with the killer shark influenced by voodoo, a sub plot only hinted at in the film.

If there are any horror movie novelizations you’d like to mention please add them in the comments below.